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May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia

Posted: May 17, 2013

HAMILTON POSITIVE SPACE COLLABORATIVE MARKS THE INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA, MAY 17th, 2013

Fighting the constant barrage of homophobia in social media is the focus of this year’s International Day Against Homo-bi-transphobia. The Hamilton Positive Space Collaborative (HPSC), made up of local organizations from community services, health and education, has been tweeting about it since the beginning of May.

The HPSC is committed to making Hamilton a positive space to live, work, play and learn for all people within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) communities. Member organizations took turns tweeting about the importance of interrupting homophobia on the internet.

Using hashtags such as #IDAH2013, tweets were sent by Hamilton Health Sciences, the YWCA, the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area, the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, Good Shepherd Services, Hamilton Police Services, the Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton, The AIDS Network, Mohawk College, McMaster University Human Rights, and The Well.

As well as drawing attention to websites fighting LGBTQ hatred such as nohomophobes.com, some organizations are taking on extra efforts to ensure the people within their organizations and those who access them know the importance of fighting homophobia.

On May 21, The Well, Hamilton’s LGBTQ Community Wellness Centre will host “Disruptions of Our Peace” with Keynote speaker, Lyndon George, a two-spirited individual. Details at thewellhamilton.ca.

Centenary United Church will host its second annual public potluck to celebrate IDAH, on Friday, May 17, at 6 pm.

Hamilton Police Services will commemorate the day with a gathering at Central Station, 11:30 a.m., focussed on the continued reality of hate crimes in our community on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Hamilton Health Sciences is displaying a rainbow flag in the foyer of some of their sites as well as promoting an email signature for the day that brings attention to the issues.